This invention relates generally to safety mechanisms employed in firearms to prevent discharge of the firearm. More particularly, this invention relates to safety mechanisms that are lockable to prevent discharge of the firearm by unauthorized users.
Safeties for firearms are commonplace with numerous types of safety mechanisms known. One general type of safety mechanism involves a cross bolt oriented generally transversely to the longitudinal axis of the firearm. The safety mechanism is operated by manually displacing the cross bolt between axially spaced safe and fire positions. When the cross bolt is in the fire position, a user actuating the trigger may readily discharge the firearm. When the cross bolt is in the safe position, discharge of the firearm is prevented. The cross bolt safety mechanism may be semi-stably retained in one of these positions by a spring-biased detent or other means. There typically is no provision for locking the cross bolt in the safe position to prevent movement therefrom by unauthorized persons.
The cross bolt safety prevents discharge of the firearm by selectively interfering with a component of the firing mechanism. The cross bolt safety may function as a hammer blocking mechanism. In this configuration, a component of the cross bolt safety is configured as a hammer block to selectively interfere with the hammer and/or a component in the hammer assembly. In the cross bolt safe position, the hammer block prevents the hammer from moving sufficiently to engage the firing pin and discharging the firearm. When the cross bolt is moved to the fire position, the hammer is free to strike the firing pin and discharge the firearm.
The cross bolt safety may alternatively function as a trigger blocking mechanism. In this configuration, a component of the cross bolt safety is configured as a trigger block to selectively interfere with the trigger and/or a component in the trigger assembly. In the cross bolt safe position, the trigger block prevents the trigger from moving sufficiently to discharge the firearm. When the cross bolt is moved to the fire position, actuation of the trigger to discharge the firearm is possible.
The use of locks and locking mechanisms, including electronic devices, to prevent discharge of a firearm by unauthorized persons is also commonplace and a wide variety of devices and techniques have been advanced. The majority of conventional firearm locks and locking mechanisms operate independently of the firearm safety mechanism.
Briefly stated, the invention in a preferred form is a lockable firearm safety that incorporates a plurality of combination dials with a cross bolt safety mechanism. Each combination dial comprises spaced first and second sides and defines a central through bore connecting the sides. A circular raceway is defined within one side of each dial terminating at an inner face. A connecting recess extends transversely from the inner face toward the opposing side and radially connects with the dial through bore. The dial outer diameter includes indicia such as numerical markings disposed around the circumference. The cross bolt is mounted in the dial through bores generally transversely of the firearm longitudinal axis for axially displacement between the safe and the fire position. A plurality of pins project from the cross bolt. The pins may be mounted to the cross bolt for biased radial displacement. Each pin cooperates with the inner face of a respective dial to lock the cross bolt in the safe position. When each connecting recess is rotationally aligned with its respective pin, the cross bolt may be manually displaced from the safe position to the fire position. The combination dials and cross bolt are mounted within a recess in the firearm. Typically the recess will be in the receiver or trigger guard.
The cross bolt has axially spaced first and second surfaces that are respectively configured to prevent the discharge of the firearm in the safe position while allowing the firearm to discharge in the fire position. The cross bolt is preferably configured with first and second axially spaced recesses to retain the cross bolt in a semi-stable relationship in the safe and fire positions. An outer surface of the cross bolt may be fixed with an indicator to indicate when the cross bolt is positioned in the fire or safe position.
In one embodiment, the cross bolt is engageable with the trigger assembly to block the trigger from discharging the firearm when the cross bolt is in the safe position. In a second embodiment, the cross bolt is engageable with the hammer assembly to block the hammer from discharging the firearm when the cross bolt is in the safe position. In another embodiment the cross bolt is engageable with a striker assembly to block a striker from discharging the firearm when the cross bolt is in the safe position.
An object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lockable safety for a firearm.
Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lockable firearm safety that is reliable and provides a high degree of security for a firearm.
A further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved lockable firearm safety having an efficient and low cost construction and which can be readily incorporated into a firearm without substantial modification thereof.
A yet further object of the invention is to provide a new and improved locking device firearm which is operatively coupled in a user friendly application in conjunction with a proven safety for a firearm.